When Global Girls Take the TED-Ed Mic...Magic Happens
I still can't believe it.
Yesterday was so magical I almost don't know where to start.
Should we start with the fact that girls from 7 countries and 10 US states participated?
Start by honoring the epic women who took the mic to introduce them - global icon Gloria Steinem, pro skydiver Melanie Curtis, NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, PhD, entrepreneur (and newly-inducted athlete Hall of Famer) Atoya Burleson and DEI champion Daisy Auger-Domínguez (she/her/ella)?
Or start by thanking the companies whose leaders took the time to mentor young speakers as they prepped for the TED-Ed stage - The Nobel Prize Geena Davis Institute NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Hello Sunshine The Jed Foundation (JED) I am a voter. The Female Quotient The Conversationalist UBS and more?
It's hard to know.
All I know is that yesterday next generation voices rose to talk about everything from DNA to dance, AI to data access, politics in social media, careers in media, the origins of DEI and why women belong in every room. They advocated for changes in medical training and mental health support, urged reform in education, and proclaimed ADHD a new superpower.
Huge themes like resilience, speaking your truth and owning your voice did not go untouched, and the undercurrent question of Who Do You Want To Be was answered in spectacular fashion and to seat-shaking applause.
Even teen announcers and Être Board members Cameron Siegel and Pepper Persley (who went from the event directly to the NY LIBERTY game in her role as professional sports reporter) left the crowd rapt.
There is so much more to come - get ready for individual speaker spotlights and intro videos - and many more people to thank, like the technical wizards at Park Studio NYC and HANSENHOUSE, Speaker Coach Corey Ruzicano and the most extraordinarily talented Executive Producer in...well, ever - Elizabeth O'Connell.
For now, I'm gathering photos and congratulating girls.
This year TED-Ed celebrates it's 10th anniversary, and Être Girls has been at the party for 4 of those years. Participating globally and virtually up until now, yesterday was our first-ever live TED-Ed event...I cannot wait to see what next year brings.
With official TED-Ed talk links and videos on the way, today is all about gratitude and awe.
I'm awash with both.
Looking forward,
Illana
ÊXTRAS: Three more things about Être's TED-Ed series you won't want to miss: the Être Insta so you can catch all the TED-Ed clips as they come in (don't miss the TED-Ed highlight in Stories); a link to our full library of TED-Ed talks since 2021, and a form for any rising speakers in your orbit to fill out (scroll to bottom) to be part of Être TED-Ed 2025!
